Reflection
by Vandi
Summary: Sakura Kyouko and Kaname Madoka managed to return Miki Sayaka to the human form she once was. But at what price? And what will the future hold in store for the Magical Girls? And why does Sayaka keep hearing this voice inside her head?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Replacement

Waves of currents rushed through the mind of the bewildered knight. Just a little while ago, she had been sitting on the bench in the train station, rambling mindlessly at the redhead that had come to greet her. And now…she glanced around at her surroundings, half expecting to see fish swimming around in her bubble-filled, watery upside-down vision. When did she end up like this?

"Sayaka!"

A voice called out to her, but from where she couldn't tell. Hey, as far as the blue-haired knight could tell, voices shouldn't have been able to carry down this deep down; wherever she was. Responding to her name, Sayaka twirled in the deep blue space, creating bubbles until she was upright again. What had happened after she'd shed that final tear? Flashes of memories with Kyousuke and Hitomi together made her feel a sense of nausea. She still couldn't believe it, even now…her two close people, betraying her without a second thought. No, she corrected, it wasn't their fault. It was because she hadn't been honest with herself.

"Sayaka!"

That voice again. It rang a bell to her, although she couldn't tell why. The pitch sounded familiar, but Sayaka couldn't recognize where exactly it came from because it sounded too concerned, too desperate to come from the person who normally had that high a pitch. That person had always been brash, harsh, no room for compassion. Now she could hear that same voice screaming her name as if their life depended on it.

Taking a glance around, she slowly began to ascend through the murky ocean. It had only just occurred to her now that the air was pungent with the sound of an orchestra playing. How had she not noticed that before? It seemed as if it was trying to drag her back down. So there was something at the surface, after all! With newfound determination, she reached to pull out a sword, until she realized that she no longer seemed to have her Soul Gem. Well, that wasn't going to be very helpful, she thought. And how was she planning on getting back to the surface by fighting sound waves? As surreal as her life had been up to this point, that would've just been unreal.

So what could she do? Sayaka was at a loss. The waves of the water coincided with the waves of the orchestra, working together to drag her further and further back into the abyss. "…Don't want to go…" She whispered softly, realizing there was no helping her now. "I don't want to go…I want to live…"

As if an answer to her plea, a bright red light penetrated the ocean the blue knight was trapped in, until she felt herself engulfed in a fiery warmth that she'd never felt before. It seemed so soft…yet so strong at the same time. It seemed to envelope her entire body with this warmth. What was it that had given her such comfort? As she glanced skyward, she appeared to be closing into a blinding tunnel of light, out of the darkness from wherever that despair in her Soul Gem had led her. At last she was freed from that watery prison! She braced herself as she closed in on its center, delivering her back into the reality that she knew.

"Kyouko-chan!" A pink-haired girl ran through the ever-dissolving barriers that had protected her from the dangers of the battlefield just prior. The fiery-haired girl she just addressed had slumped onto the ground in exhaustion, after what seemed like a while of taking the torturous wheels the pink-haired girl witnessed. Immediate concern rushing to her thoughts, the girl knelt down to try to help Kyouko. However, she was still aware that she was currently in the open, vulnerable to her friend's attacks. She still couldn't believe that Sayaka-chan had turned into that monster!

What happened when she looked up at the monster took the pink-haired girl by surprise. Oktavia, the witch monster they had been facing prior, had been engulfed by a bright, white light that overwhelmed the entirety of the barrier. In fact, the girl realized, the barrier seemed to be getting erased by this white light, and the witch…seemed to be changing form! Was it working? Did they really save Sayaka-chan like she and Kyouko-chan hoped? She quickly shielded her eyes as the white pierced through everything in its path.

It disappeared as quickly and as surprisingly as it came. Only the pink-haired girl, the unconscious red-head, and a silhouetted figure were left in its wake. Slowly she opened up her pink eyes and glanced around nervously, beholding the sudden disappearance of Sayaka-chan's barrier.

The figure moaned and groaned, startling the pink-haired girl and causing her to hold the unconscious red-head closer to her. It was in that moment that her heart sank. Maybe it was just because she could feel her own pulse beating rapidly, but she couldn't feel a pulse in the older girl at all! "Kyouko…chan?" Her eyes widened, and she quickly checked her pulse again.

As she did so, the figure sat up from the ground, revealing itself as Miki Sayaka, As if she'd just awoken from a long slumber, she let out a big yawn. "Hey, Madoka-huh?" She took this chance to look around herself, and see that she was definitely not at the train station. Exactly where had she gone in her blanked-out state? And who called her back?

The pink-haired girl, Madoka, looked up at her blue-haired friend and let out a loud gasp. "S-Sayaka-chan…!" Her eyes welled up with tears as she set the red-head down and ran to her friend. "You're alive! You came back to us!"

"Uh, sure?" Sayaka blinked, looking at the sorry state her childhood friend was in. "…Hey, Madoka? I'm sorry for hurting you before…back then."

Madoka shook her head and attempted a smile, but wells of sadness cracked at the surface. "N-No, it's okay, Sayaka-chan…" She glanced over her shoulder, at which time Sayaka noticed her friend's shoulders were trembling. "H-Hey…are you okay? Did you wake me up, Madoka?" The pink-haired girl looked up at her friend in bewilderment.

"…I…I tried calling to you…I-I'm glad to see that we could actually call you back, but…" Her voice trailed off and her eyes grew downcast.

"Madoka…? What happened?" Sayaka questioned, before she noticed a river of red behind them. She gently stepped past Madoka toward the source of the red river and gasped. Turned out it wasn't a river at all! Long strands of red hair lay helplessly against the ground and on the body of who Sayaka had registered as her enemy. "…Kyouko? What's Kyouko doing sleeping in a place like-" She paused at the sight of her gaping wounds. "…Madoka."

"Y-Yes, Sayaka-chan?" Madoka stepped closer to her friend.

"…What happened here? What are we all doing here, and why is Kyouko bleeding up a storm when she normally doesn't even get a dent?" Sayaka reached down to touch the unconscious female, but flinched back at her touch. "S-She's cold!" She cried out in alarm, looking around for her soul gem. Where was- she spotted the shape of a Soul Gem tucked underneath one of Kyouko's pools of hair and reached over to pick it up. Why was she unconscious, if her Soul Gem was right next to her? Then she felt the color drain from her face as she got a better look at it. "This…it's BLANK! The Soul Gem's…EMPTY!"

"Ehh?!" Madoka quickly rushed over, feeling the same terror she'd felt when they first discovered that Magical Girls were nothing but empty shells. "Oh, NO! What happened?!" From where she was standing back before, crying out desperately for Sayaka to respond to them, nothing seemed strange on Kyouko's side. But she had been concerned by the sudden dissolving of those four layers of barriers Kyouko had laid out in front of Madoka for defense. Maybe if they talked to Kyuubey about it, he'd know something about…

"A-Anyway, Sayaka-chan!" Madoka put her thoughts to the side as she went to her friend. "H-How is your Soul Gem?" Sayaka reached over and pulled hers out. "Much better than Kyouko's, I know that-"

Her words were caught in her throat as she caught sight of the gleaming red glow emanating from HER Soul Gem. "What…the…?!" She held it up to get a better look at the gem, eyes widening in shock and disbelief. "Madoka! We need to see Kyuubey…NOW!" Her friend nodded and quickly reached over to try and pick up the lifeless red-head by their feet. "No, Madoka. I'll take care of her. You go on ahead and find Kyuubey."

"Okay. S-Should I let Homura-chan know about this?" Madoka asked, still overwhelmed by the terrifying implications this event gave to them. Sure, Kyouko-chan managed to save Sayaka-chan from cursing others as a witch…but did she give herself up in exchange? She started to run the opposite direction from where she and Kyouko had entered into.

"Madoka." A calm voice called her out of her thoughts as she halted to a stop. "…You're okay." It sounded like a statement, but Madoka couldn't help but think it had a hint of confusion and a bit of…relief? "Homura-chan…!" Madoka turned towards the taller female and ran over to her. "Please, you have to help Kyouko-chan! Something strange has happened!"

"Strange?" The raven-haired girl looked past Madoka towards the area she had always known Oktavia's barrier to be. Usually, Sakura Kyouko would have been in this area, either blown to smithereens, sliced by Oktavia's sword, or unwillingly victorious. What Homura hadn't expected was seeing Miki Sayaka of all people lifting up the red-haired magical girl's unconscious form. This meant that Miki Sayaka was alive and well. "How…?" She quirked an eyebrow in confusion, but did nothing else other than follow Madoka to where she was going.

"Sakura Kyouko is unconscious, you say." A white-furred creature made itself at home on the wrinkled blanket of the bed Kyouko had been using to keep Miki Sayaka's corpse from rotting. Sayaka blinked, looking at the slowly dissipating form of what was once her. "It's not just that," Sayaka replied as she reached in and pulled her Soul Gem out of her school uniform pocket. Glancing back at her corpse, she could see it looked like the form of the hardware switched into this body she now had. The body that Madoka hastily had explained was a witch just a little while ago. "But first…Kyuubey, you tricked us! You never told us that we turned into witches! Is this some kind of…" She shook her head, looking back at the gleaming Soul Gem. As she saw it earlier, it still seemed to burn like an ember, instead of that cerulean sea color she was used to her soul being.

Homura caught a glimpse of it. "…!?" Such an event had never happened before. She wasn't even sure what it was she was looking at. If it weren't for Miki Sayaka's crescent soul design being on the Soul Gem, she would swear that the blue-haired girl was holding Sakura Kyouko's Soul Gem. Instead, she noticed, Madoka was now holding what looked like an empty Soul Gem that held the intricate design of Sakura Kyouko's soul.

"I see." Kyuubey said, looking at the ruby Soul Gem being held in his sight. "It appears, although the chances of that happening are next to none; that Sakura Kyouko has passed on her soul energy to you. How she actually managed such a thing is what is surprising. Yet based on the evidence we see here, she had to have, as you, Miki Sayaka, are now alive and well, and she is dead, with an empty Soul Gem. The only way the Soul Gem could be empty is if she managed to transfer her soul into another object, leaving her own body lifeless." He closed his eyes. "Not that it would surprise me. She was a master illusionist, at one point. Still, to think that she would manage to outsmart the system…" He opened his eyes again and looked up at Sayaka, who was completely at a loss for words. "As of now, you and Sakura Kyouko share the same body. However, as it is not made to read her soul energy, only your consciousness will show. You can now access Sakura Kyouko's powers, but she cannot access yours." He concluded with a smile.

"W-Wha…that…Kyouko of all people…" Sayaka looked back down at the Soul Gem, then over to Kyouko's corpse which was laid on the floor, as the old Miki Sayaka hadn't completely disappeared. "I can't believe she…" Why did she do such a thing? Now it was Sayaka that had to live on, stealing the soul energy of the last person she had ever expected to even lend her a helping hand. Well, it was true that Kyouko seemed to be getting ever softer as Sayaka descended further into despair, but…

"That's it, then." Kyuubey flopped onto his side in comfort. "You will fight the witches in her stead." This of course meant that there would still be two magical girls to take on Walpurgisnacht, giving the off-chance that Kaname Madoka may not need to contract, which would mean that her immense potential would not be converted into energy for the universe. Oh, well. There was still time, and Miki Sayaka was still rather reckless.

"I suppose I will have to make do, then." Homura said with a sigh. "Miki Sayaka, I understand that you and I have never been on greatest terms…"

"You tried to kill me!" Sayaka yelled.

"But we must let bygones be bygones. Originally, Sakura Kyouko had agreed to team up with me against Walpurgisnacht, a colossal witch that does not need a barrier. This witch will be the downfall of Mitakihara, and if left alone, the world. However, Sakura Kyouko has traded her life for yours. Therefore, I have lost my ally." She pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation before she continued. "You now possess the abilities that Sakura Kyouko once had. I need your assistance in taking down Walpurgisnacht if we are going to survive this."

"Wait- I need to work with you?!" Sayaka cried, looking back down at the lifeless female who, until recently, had been more of a monster than that transfer student. "…If it's for the sake of the people of Mitakihara…I guess I'll agree to work with you."

"In that case, we have no time to waste. Head back home and get some rest. It won't be much time for preparation, but we will discuss the details of the battle early tomorrow. Right now, you need to inform your parents that you are still alive." Homura sighed, holding her head. Despite her calm demeanor, she wasn't sure how to take this current outcome at all. On the one hand, Sakura Kyouko had managed to save Miki Sayaka instead of dying alongside her, and so she still had at least one other magical girl to fight against the colossal witch. But on the other hand…she looked back at Sayaka. Miki Sayaka was inexperienced as it was, but now she had more power that she didn't know how to control, and there wasn't nearly enough time for her to learn. She bit her lip in frustration.

"R-Right…" Sayaka nodded to Madoka. "Let's go, Madoka. Your parents have gotta be worried, too." The two of them headed toward the hotel door, but Sayaka took one last look at the corpse lying on the carpet. She seemed so peaceful lying there; Sayaka almost couldn't believe that she was dead. The only thing that might've given any notion of death was the gaping wound in her side and the cold temperature she gave off. 'Sorry…maybe I should've listened to your stories a little bit more…I mean, you had it rough, too.' She sighed and closed her eyes, heading out the door and out of the hotel.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Discovery

With Madoka by her side she felt a bit warmer, but it didn't make Sayaka feel too much better. She was selfish towards her friends, ignorant to everyone's pleas, and now she'd stolen someone else's energy. And for what? To be wasted on her selfish self, again? She took a glance at her Soul Gem and shook her head. No, she couldn't be like this! If she did that, despair would just rise up and waste the precious life that red-headed idiot gave to her! She couldn't waste that.

"I wonder where she lived…" Madoka's voice broke the silence. "I wonder what kind of family she had…" Sayaka pursed her lips and looked forward, proceeding on down the sidewalk. It looked like they were in the borderline between the urban area of Mitakihara with the new technology, and the suburban area with its antique structures. "She…didn't have a family." Sayaka replied, recalling the tragic story the girl had told her in the old church. "She lived in Kasamino, apparently. Or at least, she did." Madoka looked up at her, eyes shaking in sadness and confusion. "What…?"

"She told me her story shortly after we found out about the Soul Gems. At that time, she…told me her wish." The wind was soft and a little warm, yet the general atmosphere felt chilly. "She wished for her father's sake…and that's why her family's gone. I…I don't know if she'd want me to tell anyone in detail, but…that's apparently the reason that she became so hard." She glanced down at the pink-haired girl and smiled. "She used to be just as full of justice as Mami-san was. To think that such a thing would destroy even the nicest of people…"

"I don't…think she was ever really destroyed…" Madoka replied, her expression downcast as she fumbled with her fingers. "I mean, if it was really destroyed she wouldn't have helped you, or tried to save you…I…I wish we could have gotten to know her better…maybe we could have really gotten along. Especially you and her, Sayaka-chan." Her eyes began to wallow up with tears. "I can't help thinking…if…if I'd just made a wish to bring you back, Sayaka-chan…Kyouko-chan wouldn't have ended up this way!" She brought her hands to her face, catching the tears that began steadily streaming down her cheeks.

"Madoka…" Sayaka took her friend by the shoulders. "Hey now, it's okay…none of us would have wanted you to deal with this fate like we have…you deserve so much better…and I'm so, so sorry for hurting you with those words before!" She held her closer in a tight hug. "I'm the one who's at fault here...! If it hadn't been for my selfishness, Kyouko would have never…" Madoka shook her head and burrowed herself into Sayaka's chest bone. "No, Sayaka-chan…it's okay…we never could've known…"

By the time the two of them had reached the Kaname residence, they were still drying tears. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, Madoka." Sayaka smiled. "And don't worry about me! I'll be fine, okay?" Madoka wasn't too convinced, but she gave a small nod. "…Okay." It still bothered her with the realization that Kyouko-chan would never be remembered, just like Mami-san. But this time, Kyouko-chan didn't even have anyone but them to remember her. People would find her corpse and mark her off as a nameless person. A small pat on her shoulder pulled Madoka out of dark places, and she said her goodbyes to her blue-haired friend. It was sad, but at least Sayaka-chan was back, now.

As soon as Sayaka entered into her apartment, she was faced with a world full of yelling, scolding, and embracing to the point where she was feeling overwhelmed. Her parents had been worried about her…not only had she caused needless worry for her friends, but her family, too…sure, they weren't ever really there to say anything to, but they were still family. She sighed and headed into her bedroom, looking back at the tears in her parents' eyes. Yeah, there were definitely still people in this world who cared for her. But none of them knew the truth of being a magical girl. Releasing a sigh, she flopped onto her bunny-covered blanket and looked at her Soul Gem. If they knew the truth, would they react like Kyouko's father had?

Flashes of blood and fire danced through her head, and Sayaka's eyes widened. What was that just now? She sat up in bed with a start, taking another look at the Soul Gem. She'd been seeing a lot of blood since she became a magical girl, but where did the fire come in? She didn't remember seeing any of that herself. She glanced into the mirror, eyes shaking.

Her reflection was still her own…as far as she could tell. She was still greeted by those same cerulean eyes and hair, the peach skin tone, the neck-length locks, the blue pajamas. In no way did she resemble that wild fiery street girl, always running around haughtily in a teal hoodie, a black top that revealed her midriff, denim shorts that barely covered her thighs, and knee-high brown boots that looked like they'd seen better days. In retrospect, she realized, that girl looked rather pitiful even before she explained her story. She'd really had nothing else in life…was that why she gave herself up? She turned away from the mirror, feeling bouts of nausea that sent her head spinning. Just the thought that someone had lost that much in life, to the point where they even contemplated the idea of suicide!

She shook her head, clinging tightly to her pillow. It wasn't suicide – she gave her life away for a noble cause…yeah, right. How was this idiot, an idiot who couldn't even take a love problem, worth giving up her life for? She sighed, turning her head back towards the mirror. What greeted her left her in shock. There in the mirror, just for a second, was Sakura Kyouko lying on her bunny-filled blanket, wearing her blue pajamas, and giving the same incredulous expression she herself had been making. She shook her head violently and looked back up. The reflection was her own again. But with that event, she was sure…those flashes a little while ago weren't hers, either. Kyouko was still in there. It wasn't just her powers, but her consciousness as well.

Ugh, what was she doing? She needed to get some good rest so that she could get ready for Walpurgisnacht with that transfer student. Letting out a frustrated moan, she climbed into her bunny blanket and closed her eyes tightly, willing for sleep to come to her.

"_Sakura!" A young, bell-like voice rang out across the school halls as an elegant young girl skipped across the corridors. Ahead of her was a young red-head, sporting a red backpack and skirt along with a white polo, white socks, and red slippers. The red-head looked behind her and grimaced, but quickly replaced it with a fake smile. "Ah, Shiratori. How you doing?" As happy as she sounded, the young red-head was fully on guard. No doubt the jerk was planning on trying to trip her over, or there was a convenient water bucket around, or something. Shiratori Ayumi was notorious for setting up vicious pranks like that. And all because what? She was the preacher's daughter?_

"_I've been doing very well, thank you." The girl Ayumi beamed brightly back at her. "I'm just heading toward the classroom to eat my lunch. Were you heading over there, as well?" The red-headed flinched. "Eh, ah…I-I don't do too well in classrooms, actually. I'm actually going to go eat on the roof instead…" She raised her hand to scratch the back of her head and neck, a tick she always did whenever she was nervous or uncomfortable. 'Idiot, why did you tell her that?! Now she's definitely going to have something set up there!' _

"_Of course. The preacher's daughter only has time for her classmates when she's playing the part, isn't that right?" Ayumi sighed, stepping closer. "Why don't you attempt to socialize with the rest of the class for once? I'm sure they'd appreciate your company." _

_The young Kyouko grimaced, stepping back a bit. "Sorry, I…don't do well in crowded areas. I-I really need to get going. Lunch only lasts so long, y'know?" She turned to head down the halls, but slipped on some water that had been left there. 'Dang it!' She flew in the air a couple feet before she landed on the floor with a thud. "Oof!" Rage dripped from her every being, but she quickly suppressed it as she struggled to her feet. Remember what Daddy said: always forgive._

"_Well, that went easier than planned. And here I thought that I would have needed to push you to get that much momentum." Ayumi giggled, stepping closer to the fiery classmate. What was with her? Did she really like picking on her that much? Kyouko reached down to pick up her belongings when an accomplice of Ayumi's pushed her back into the puddle. "ACK!" She cried, falling face-first into the watery mess. "Grr…" _

"_Oh, hear that? 'Grr'! That's really intelligent for a preacher's daughter!" The girl cackled, grinning from ear to ear until her eyes met with Ayumi's. Ayumi's eyes were dripping with venom, which unnerved the other girl quite a bit. "U-Um…sorry?" She replied sheepishly, shrinking back from the brunette's gaze._

"_That's. MY. Prey." She replied coldly, venom dripping from every word. "You can tease her all you wish, but I'm the only one who gets to push her." Kyouko's eyes widened in confusion -Sheesh, this girl really had it out for her! "…Right." Was Kyouko's reply before she pushed herself back up, belongings in hand, and walked indignantly towards the staircase which led to the school rooftops. Sighing in irritation, she forced open the door and walked onto the roof, helping herself to a spot in the sunlight. Maybe if she was lucky, her clothes would dry out before recess ended._

Cerulean eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling. "What. Was. That." A beaming light from the corner of her eye directed her to the alarm clock. 7:00a.m. It was still really early, but even though it was a weekend, she needed to meet up with Homura to discuss the plans for that Walpurgisnacht. Now that Kyouko was gone, it was on her. Slapping her hands to her cheeks, she slid off the bed and made her way over to the dresser. A quick thought directed her attention to the mirror once more; she was relieved to see that she still looked like her regular blue-haired self this time. 'What was that a bit ago?' She dug around in her dresser, picking out some comfortable clothes. Since they were discussing a strategy, they were most likely going to be there for a long while.

She stopped short. After being missing for so long, how would her parents take to her leaving the house? And she couldn't just easily slip out the window. Maybe she could head out on the pretense of heading out on an errand. Whatever the case, she needed to get out today. If that transfer student was right – and she sure as heck was so far, begrudgingly – then they only had today to plan anything. The next day, a massive storm was to hit the city. And the only people that could do anything about it were her and Homura. Madoka couldn't get involved. It was true that Kyuubey said she had vast potential as a magical girl. But if Magical Girls were destined to turn into…she shuddered at the thought of her bubbly imprisonment. She'd turned into a witch. She, after working so hard to try to help others, started thinking about nothing but her own problems. Talk about hypocrisy.

"Uh…hey, Mom? Dad?" Sayaka slipped out of her bedroom. "Erm, is it okay if I head over to a friend's house? She was going to help me catch up on some homework and stuff." Yeah. Very convincing. Even Sayaka's parents, who were often out at work all the time, were aware that Miki Sayaka didn't go over to people's houses to "catch up on homework".

"Alright, then. Be back in time for dinner, sweetie." Her mom replied calmly as she placed a few dishes in the dishwasher.

Huh? That easy? "O-oh! Okay, then. I'll see you guys tonight!" Sayaka smiled, grabbing a few snacks on the way. She had no idea how long this was going to take. On her way out the door, she overheard her parents speaking softly to each other.

"The poor girl must be stressed out…between school, that Kyousuke and us being gone all the time…she needs a little rest and relaxation."

"If only we could be there for her more…that's it. Next work day, I'll request for a little less hours. It may make things a little rough, but at least we'll be there."

Sayaka's eyes softened as she closed the door quietly behind her. She really did have a loving family. And here she was, taking it for granted. She didn't deserve this second chance, but she was glad to have it. Determination flashed in her eyes as she made her way down the street. She had to beat Walpurgisnacht. She needed to be able to bond with her parents again, like they did years ago. "Thanks, Kyouko…" Sayaka smiled as she ran for the strategy rendezvous point.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Confusion

"You're late." Homura's arms were crossed sternly across her small chest. "I hope you realize we only have one day to do this."

"No no, I completely understand." Sayaka replied, scratching the back of her head. "But y'know, you never really set up a certain time yesterday."

"…I suppose I didn't. That was my mistake." Homura murmured, glancing off to the side. "In any case, you now know the truth about Magical Girls and Witches. You understand why I couldn't bring Madoka into this." Sayaka replied with a nod, allowing Homura to continue. "Very well. Let us begin, then." She reached over and ran her hand along the air, bringing out strange screens that depicted unfamiliar images. "This is the data I have received on Walpurgisnacht in my years. She is a witch made up of several different Magical Girls, which can be seen through her familiars, here." She motioned to a screen that displayed a strange shadowy figure that appeared to have constellations all over her. "The familiars themselves are rather formidable, and their appearance can be rather unpredictable." She brought up another screen, displaying an image of fire everywhere. "Aside from her familiars, Walpurgisnacht can breathe fire out of her mouth."

"Yikes." Sayaka cringed. "If her size weren't daunting enough, already. Is this a witch, or a dragon?" Homura didn't reply, but brought up other screens. "Due to her immense magical energy, Walpurgisnacht does not need to hide inside a barrier. Therefore, she will cause great damage to the landscape around her, and may even use structures as her weapon. In short, look out for buildings and such debris."

"So, is that it?" Sayaka asked, pulling out a box of Pocky. Homura raised an eyebrow at her action, but said nothing to it. "It may not seem like much. But keep in mind that we must keep her contained in one area, or else she will destroy the Evacuation Center, and everyone you wished to protect will die."

Sayaka's eyes widened, and then narrowed as she looked expressionlessly off to the side, sliding a stick of Pocky between her teeth. "So we have a time-limit…Kyousuke…Hitomi…Madoka…" She looked back up, nodding with new drive. "Let's do this, then. If it kills me!"

"If all goes well, neither of us will die in this battle. For starters," Homura put the screens away, leading them into another room. "Kyuubey stated that you now have access to Sakura Kyouko's abilities. You have the skills of an illusionist, Miki Sayaka. Therefore, we may not even need to be in the direct heat of the battle."

"Huh? …Oh. Right." Sayaka had completely forgotten about the knowledge that Kyouko was an illusionist. Probably because she never used that stuff against her. Why, again? That would have kicked her butt so hard! "So, uh…how exactly do I access this thing?"

"…I don't know." Homura admitted. "Therefore…" She sighed. "…Regrettably, I have enlisted Kyuubey's help on the matter." The white creature slipped out from the shadows. "Indeed. As I had stated last night, you can access Sakura Kyouko's powers. However, it is not as simple as willing for the power to come to you, as the power is not really your own. What you need to do is to delve into the other soul's consciousness and will for it as if you were her. I suppose you could liken it to what you humans refer to as "role-playing". You must play the part of Sakura Kyouko in order to have access to her abilities. So, I suppose you could say you need to be Sakura Kyouko to gain her abilities." He concluded with a smile.

That…was even worse than stealing her energy! Now she needed to steal her identity, too!? "Wha…I…I can't do that!" In the back, Homura was cringing, pinching the bridge of her nose in irritation. If it required something like identity theft, there was no way Miki Sayaka would go through with this. Of course it had to be something so twisted. It was created by the Incubators, after all. "…Be that as it may, Miki Sayaka…" Homura started, "Using her abilities would make it that much easier to save the city from Walpurgisnacht." Sayaka bit her lip in frustration, uncertainty plastered along her face. "I-I know…but…I-I mean, it just seems wrong, especially after all the arguing we did and all…and then I never even tried to listen to her reasoning."

"Think of it as 'redemption'." Homura calmly replied. "Sakura Kyouko wishes to make amends, or else she would not have fought so hard to try to bring you back. Through you, she can redeem herself from the mistakes she made in the past. If you really have a problem with using her abilities…take that mindset into account."

"…Redemption…" Sayaka slumped onto the ground. "…But, how do I delve into her consciousness?"

_You're kidding, right?_

Huh? Sayaka looked up, eyes darting frantically back and forth. "…Did any of you guys say something?" Homura shook her head. "I haven't heard anything," Kyuubey replied simply. "Now then, I've told you the technicalities of the matter. The rest is up to you, Miki Sayaka. If you can take this advantage over Walpurgisnacht, well, all the better. But if not…it's still not too late to call on another Magical Girl-"

"LEAVE." Homura darkly replied, causing him to return back into the shadows from where he came. "…Do not push yourself too hard, but just remember that we are running out of time." She headed over to the doorway. "I'll be waiting whenever you've come to terms with yourself."

"…Right…" Sayaka began to help herself to her feet. None of the others spoke up back then. Was she just hearing things? Was it her imagination? It wasn't more of the funny dreams, was it?

_You've been doing it all along, idiot. What the heck do you mean, how do I delve into her consciousness? Honestly._

That definitely wasn't her imagination. Wait, was that…but it couldn't be! Kyuubey had said that only her soul was compatible with her body.

_Yeah, I know. I'm just full of mysteries, aren't I?_

'…Kyouko?'

_Uh, yeah? Who else would it be? I'm the only other little voice in your head, aren't I? At least, that's what I've gathered so far._

'Y-You…you're here! I, uh…I don't know what to say…I-I mean, why did you…'

_You're welcome. Hey, you still had something to look forward to. Why hog perfectly good soul energy when you don't need it?_

'Well…um…so, how exactly do you do the whole 'delving into consciousness' thing?' Sayaka shook her head at herself. She sounded crazy just to herself. And her head was hurting. She made her way over to a couch.

_Oh yeah, this gives you a lot of mental stress. Don't push yourself too much. And whadda ya mean, how? You did it well enough before, didn't you?_

'I…I did?'

_Yeah. How else could you have peered into my memories like that? Thanks a lot, by the way. Eavesdropper. …Wait. You mean, you didn't mean for that?_

Now her head was really pounding hard. 'No. I have no idea how or why that happened. Or why I've seen you in my mirror, as myself…'

…_Huhhh? That's weird. Well, I actually seem to be able to slip through onto your side pretty easily…_

'Kyouko…'

_So I think I'll just make it easier for you. Why don't I just take over when you need my powers, and then when we need yours, I'll step back?_

'Huh…wait…' Sayaka sat up with a start. "WHAT!?"

"Is something the matter, Miki Sayaka?" Homura's voice called from the other room. Sayaka quickly glanced over. "Uhhh, no! Nothing at all! Just, uh…still coming to terms with myself!" She laughed nervously, flopping back onto the couch. 'Take over-you mean possess me?! How do I know I can trust you to give it back!?'

_Ouch. That really stings, coming from the person I gave my life to. I'm just looking at it from a convenience perspective. It looks like I can drift over to your consciousness well enough, and you still haven't figured out how to control delving into mine. So, I figure, why not leave it to an expert?_

Sayaka cringed. '…You're right, I'm sorry. Man, I'm so bad at this! I guess, since you know what you're doing…but why can you access my mind easier than I can yours?'

…_I'm not really sure about that myself. But, I think it has to do with my wish._

'Your wish?'

_Y'know. My wish that everyone will listen to what Father has to say. Kyuubey always said that your power pertained to the kind of wish you made. Well, since my wish dealt with altering people's minds…maybe it's not just about enchantment. Maybe…maybe it also has to do with the mind as well._

'So, you can do Mind Control.'

_That's not what I'm doing right now, idiot! Just…I think that's why I can easily delve into your consciousness, and that…might be why you're seeing my memories and stuff._

'…Great. Just don't eat me. So, uh…should I go let Homura know?' Sayaka began to slide off the couch again, towards the doorway.

_Uhhh, I don't even know if she'll believe you. Besides, that Homura's got her own secrets. I think it'd just be better if they believed you managed to access it somehow. Some tweak or whatever. And anyway…_

'What?'

…_I'm hungry. Eat some more Pocky or something. But that's not what I was gonna say. I don't like how Kyuubey's acting about the whole matter. If he finds out, well…he's kinda like a mad scientist._

'Ah. So more than Homura, you don't want Kyuubey to find out?'

…_Yeah. He already stated that there were plenty things about Magical Girls that Kyuubey's kind didn't know about. Let's just keep things hush-hush, okay?_

'Well, okay…so, why don't we practice switching between the different powers?'

_I'm on it!_

For an instance, Sayaka's eyes grew blank as she stood still. When she came to, she could see Homura's room through what looked like a globe. _Wow…what happened-whoa! My-my voice is all echo-ey!_

'That's 'cause we flipped sides, Sayaka.' Kyouko's voice emanated from the outside. 'I'm in control now. Now, let's see…' She held up her Soul Gem and transformed, but quickly doubled back. "What the he-?! My outfit's all whacked!" Instead of Sayaka's knight attire, or even her usual attire, it was a mix-and-match mess.

"Miki Sayaka, what's the matter?" Homura walked into the room, but stopped short. "…Interesting." She said with a raised eyebrow. "Can you still fight?"

"Huh? Yeah, well enough I guess." 'Sayaka' shrugged, reaching into her cape and pulling out a couple blades. They were blades, sure, but they were connected to a chain, and the blade itself resembled the blade of her spears. The handles of the sword were on the side much like a rapier. "That's…one way to do it." She proceeded in swinging the weapon expertly around herself in a continuous motion. Homura watched with slight amazement. "I…never knew you were good with swinging weapons around…is this an effect of having Sakura Kyouko's abilities?"

"Huh?" 'Sayaka' looked over at her, still keeping up with the swinging motion. "Whatcha talkin' 'bout-oh." She immediately stopped, catching the falling blades by the handles with ease. "Uh…yeah. I guess Kyouko's reflexes came with the package, too…heh."

"Your voice…" Homura's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "…It's not your usual dialect. Explain yourself."

'Sayaka' bit her lip. "…Dang. Fine, I'll come clean. But that stupid Kyuubey can't know, got it? I'm Kyouko, right now."

"So then, you succeeded in playing the part?" Homura blinked.

"No, no, I mean…" Right, there was always that escape. "Uh, yeah! Y'know, having to deal with her kick-ass moves and stuff, I guess she easily rubbed off on me. Well, now those abilities are as good as mine!" She grinned triumphantly. "So, what next?"

"What's next, Miki Sayaka…is to test those abilities out." Homura said, preparing to lead her into an empty room. "We begin training now. Normally I would allow you a break, but seeing as we only have today, we do not have time for such luxuries." Sayaka grinned. "Heh, fine by me. I'm used to life pulling no punches." Homura raised her eyebrow. She was getting really good at playing the part of Sakura Kyouko. It was almost as if she were the real deal…but that couldn't be. Kyuubey had said that it wasn't possible for Sakura Kyouko's consciousness to be compatible with Miki Sayaka's. Therefore, only Miki Sayaka had access to anything, as it was given to her. But the way she acted, in such short time…she shook her head. There was definitely something. But she needed to keep it to herself, for now. Right now, they needed to prepare for Walpurgisnacht.

"Right this way. In this room, I will reveal the secret to my success in battle. This is because you will be fighting me." She pushed opened the door to reveal what looked like a training hall. The walls, floors and ceiling were all padded white, to protect the interior from receiving damage. Homura stepped out into the center of the room, transforming into her Magical Girl outfit. "The secret to my success is that…I manipulate time and space. I have traveled through numerous timelines in order to fulfill my goal. This is the reason that I know so much. However, in all the timelines I've been through, never have I stumbled into one where a Magical Girl would be so reckless as to trade her own Soul Energy to save another Magical Girl. Nonetheless, we will work with what we have. Now, I will go easy on you at first-" She was interrupted by another Miki Sayaka punching her in the face and sending her into the padded wall. She blinked incredulously, getting back up to her feet. "...It appears you've gotten the hang of things rather quickly. Very well, then. I will not hold back, either." She held up her shield and began to activate the time-stop, but was interrupted again by another double of Sayaka. Scrambling back to her feet, she looked up to see five different doubles of Sayaka, all ready for the next blow. 'It appears that she does not really need the training. But is she utilizing her ability wisely?'

"Miki Sayaka, do not overuse your ability. Remember that the more magic you use, the more corruption will build up in your Soul Gem." Sayaka walked over to her, the doubles disappearing. "Actually, I save a lot more energy by staying out of the direct battle and sending dozens of copies out. It may take a lot, sure, but it's better than the alternative. It's even worse to be fighting recklessly in the midst, right?" Homura thought a bit. "Well, I suppose you're right…just as long as you know what you're doing." Sayaka responded with a toothy grin. "Don't worry! I've got everything under control!"

_Hey, don't you think you should be acting just a little bit more like an amateur?_

'No. Pretense or no, we're still on a time-limit. Better she think you're a fast learner than to try too hard and get killed in the process. Besides, give yourself a little credit. You're not as 'amateur' as you think.'

_Really? Wow, thanks. But still, just try to act a little more like me…_

'Yeah, yeah.' 'Sayaka' reverted from her transformation, giving Homura a wave. "Well, does that help ease your worries a little for tomorrow?" Homura nodded, although still a little unsure. "…The odds do seem a little bit higher now; but there's no way of really knowing until it's time. Just…don't get your hopes up too high."

"Aren't you the cheery one." 'Sayaka' released a sigh. "Oh, well. Let's just do our best, okay? What time should we be headed down tomorrow?"

"…Walpurgisnacht will be appearing near the clock tower at 7:00am. You should be able to sense her energy quite a while before she actually arrives. Simply the presence of her energy in the area will build up a storm in the city. Find yourself a vantage point, and prepare to strike. Since you can clone, find somewhere far away from the battlefield so you yourself won't be hit too hard. And remember: look out for the familiars."

"Got it." Sayaka replied, nodding firmly. "Well, let's get to practice for a little while longer. I need to get in as much as I can before dinnertime."

"Agreed." Homura prepared the room for the rest of the training session. "Well, then…let's continue."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: In the Meantime

It seemed like days had passed before the training room was closed up for the evening, as Akemi Homura and the mixed-up blue-haired warrior made their way out and back to the more normal portion of the house; the living quarters. "Wow," Sayaka exclaimed as she gazed around the traditional Japanese interior of the dining room. "Your house is actually more than just a Wonderland?"

"Naturally," The raven-haired time-traveller replied coolly. "After all, there are some areas of the house that are still open to reality. Where else would school officials look? There is also a regular living room, for their convenience."

Sayaka blinked. "School officials? So, you have trouble with them?" Not that she was surprised, of course. After all, the transfer student had been introduced with having health issues, and on top of that she lived alone. Surely the school would feel inclined to monitor her condition, to make sure her problems weren't getting worse. That, or she was seen as a delinquent; which she wouldn't put it past them for thinking.

As of current, Miki Sayaka possessed control over her own body. As skilled as the veteran was, even Sakura Kyouko could only maintain control over Sayaka's powers and abilities for ten straight hours. By the eleventh hour, she had completely collapsed, and Sayaka found herself in control again. It surprised her how suddenly it happened, though; given their past experiences, she had almost assumed the veteran invincible.

"The school nurse stops by every once in a while to monitor my condition." Homura broke the warrior out of her thoughts. "Aside from that, my teachers come by to make sure that I am fully caught up in my studies. They all concern themselves too much. It is really a fruitless effort." She ran her fingers through her hair thoughtfully and proceeded to prepare a simple, yet nutritional meal to build up their energy for Walpurgisnacht. "This may take a little while. If possible, perhaps you should practice your skills against real witches."

"And familiars." Sayaka jumped in. Homura frowned, facing her with an expressionless, yet cold atmosphere about her.

"If you plan to survive through the night, and still have energy to fight Walpurgisnacht, then you will leave the familiars be for now. Oh, and while you're out, see if you can find Sakura Kyouko's secret pile of grief seeds. I have yet to discover them, but they're likely to be hidden in the old church." Homura turned back towards the kitchen, pulling an apron off a nail.

"Wha…ugh, fine." Sayaka muttered under her breath. "But after Walpurgisnacht is done, I'm going straight back to hunting familiars." Her eyes wavered a bit at the thought of digging out Kyouko's grief seed stash. Wasn't that no better than digging through the remains of her corpse, all things considered?

Nevertheless, she found herself heading down the old dirt path she and Kyouko had walked down not too long ago. Soul Gem out and at the ready, its red glow emanating from within, Sayaka kept alert, glancing left and right as she made her way back to the pitiful state of what was left of Kyouko's home. Eventually she came to the doorway of the old church, where there used to be a door until Kyouko had kicked it off its hinges during their last visit. Quietly and cautiously, she made her way down the aisle, stepping around broken wood, pews and litter around the way.

"Let's see…" She muttered nervously to herself. "If I were a crazy red-headed maniac, where would I hide my stash…?"

"Who's there?"

The presence of another voice startled Sayaka, and she jumped three feet in the air with a yelp of surprise. "Oh! Uh, hi there!" She turned to the other visitor, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. "Um, I'm just, uh, passing through."

"No one usually goes here, anymore. There are too many rumors of it being haunted." The visitor walked into view, a short-haired brunette with a figure similar to the one Mami-san had. "Until recently, people would even say they could hear the ghosts of the past wailing in agony. Do you know this church?" She plastered a sweet smile on her face.

"Uh…" Sayaka straightened up, putting her Soul Gem away just on the off-chance the girl might have been able to see it. "Well, I just recently heard about this place, and it sounded cool and all so I thought I'd check it out! But what a dump, man! I mean, do people even clean up around here? I guess you get a lot of problems with gangs, huh?"

"…Not really." The girl replied. "Surprisingly, such people have kept their distance. In fact, until today it was said by the townsfolk that only one person was ever seen to go in and out of this church. Some said it was a ghost, others say it was the one survivor of the incident. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

"No," Sayaka lied. "This is my first time ever hearing about this place. I don't really even know what happened here. Maybe the ghosts are litterbugs."

"…Perhaps." The brunette glanced around what was left of the stained-glass windows. "My apologies, where are my manners?" She spoke up, turning back to the blue-haired girl and giving a small curtsy. "My name is Shiratori Ayumi. I am a resident of this small city." She straightened up again and smiled. "Judging by your uniform, I suppose you are from Mitakihara Middle School?"

"Eh? Ah, yeah." Sayaka smiled sheepishly. "Miki Sayaka. I'm a second year at Mitakihara Middle School."

"Really." The brunette brushed back a lock of hair from her face. "I'll be heading to that middle school soon, myself; as a third year, of course. The paperwork is already in order."

"Really?" Sayaka blinked. Come to think of it, she'd heard the name Shiratori Ayumi somewhere before.

"Yes." Ayumi sighed. "You see, there are just too many painful memories in this city. The remainder of my family and I are moving to Mitakihara to escape the curse of the Sakura family."

"Uh…huh. What curse?"

"The curse of the Sakura family. It was said that the father made a deal with the devil, and used his gift to control the hearts and minds of the people of Kasamino to follow his every whim. The man was insane. Even forced everyone to believe his eldest daughter was a witch. He killed his family a few months after. When he died, everyone was free of his control. However, his influence brought disillusionment to the people of Kasamino, and they are slowly taking their lives, one by one. All because the man had come up with another teaching of the gospel..."

"Wow…" Up until now, Sayaka had only heard the story from someone who had known the full truth; the truth that the public didn't, and couldn't know. She'd never heard it told before by someone with an outside perspective. "…Now that I think about it," she mused, "There was some sort of story in the news about a year or so back. I didn't pay too much attention to it because it was in a small city, but thinking back on it, the story sounded pretty horrible. I mean, the guy was said to have butchered his wife and daughter to death with a kitchen knife! Who wouldn't be creeped out by that!"

"You'll notice it only said that three were found dead." Ayumi pointed out. "There were four of them in the family. The eldest daughter is still out there, somewhere. Whether she is a victim, or whether she staged the whole tragedy…we'll know for sure once we have her taken into custody."

A lump built up in Sayaka's throat. "I…see. Well, I hope you find her, then!" How could she ever tell her that the eldest Sakura daughter was laying down dead in a hotel room!? If she was even still sitting there. "Well, I…better get going."

"Don't bother. I was preparing to leave, myself. This place holds too many memories…so much peace and tranquility, dashed by a madman…" Ayumi sighed, turning on her heel toward the doorway leading out. "Well, take care, Miki Sayaka. Perhaps we'll see each other again."

"Take care…" Sayaka gave a half-hearted wave until the girl was fully out of sight. She then proceeded to dig through the nooks and crannies of the church. She searched through the tears of the pews, the openings in the altar, the cracks in the walls. She felt a bit guilty, digging through the remains of the decimated church, especially after the horror story she'd just heard. A glance out the window and she could see three wooden crosses planted in the ground. She couldn't have hid them out there, could she? Nervously, the blue-haired warrior made her way over to the graveyard, where tombstones and crosses littered the area. It would be a little ironic, she thought as she walked along the path, if Kyouko had hidden the grief seeds in this area, considering what the grief seeds actually were.

Hesitantly, Sayaka reached for a shovel and began to dig dirt from the first grave, resisting the urge to throw up at any moment. On the side, Ayumi peered at the spectacle, watching silently as she looked to see what it was exactly that Miki Sayaka was after…if this even was Miki Sayaka. According to the stories, Sakura Kyouko was suspected of being able to weave illusions and lies. Could it be that Miki Sayaka was just a façade, and it was really the eldest daughter of the Sakura family in disguise?

Ayumi's eyes narrowed in suspicion, watching the actions of the blue-haired girl. Across the way, Sayaka had just finished digging up one of the graves. It then occurred to the cerulean female that the stories had stated that there was a big fire. The only remains were the bits of rope, burnt corpses, and what was left of a kitchen knife. She took a quick glance to see the burnt up remains of what looked at one point like it could have been a little girl. The name 'Sakura Momoko' rang through Sayaka's head as she looked at the grotesque form; an image of the little girl flashed through her mind. "This was her sister…" She mused quietly, feeling guilty about digging up the grave in the first place. The only thing that wasn't earning her a mind slap or something was the fact that Kyouko was still exhausted, and therefore, not conscious to see what was going on outside.

She quickly covered the grave up again and moved onto the next one. This one was sleek and shapely; whatever was left of the body. Cerulean eyes shook in sadness as she stared at the corpse. The image of a sweet, quiet mother played through her mind. "Their mother." She glanced around, and then immediately covered the body back up with dirt. This left the final grave, the father who destroyed them all, including Kyouko. 'What kind of father would go so crazy as to abuse his family and then force them all to commit suicide…' She grimaced at the thought as she dug up the final grave, looking inside to see if any grief seeds were hidden there.

Nothing.

Of course. Why did she even think she might have hidden the grief seeds there? Even being in this area must have torn her apart inside; to make the attempt to hide the stash of grief seeds with her family's corpses would be unbearable. Unthinkable! She shook her head in disgust at herself for even thinking she would hide it in such a place. It was then that she caught sight of another cross, on the far side, quite a ways from the rest of the family. "She didn't…" Sayaka mouthed in disbelief as she found herself making her way over to the grave, shovel in hand. Reluctantly, she held the shovel up and began to scoop the dirt out of the ground.

'Please don't be what I think you are, please don't be…'

She opened her eyes, not realizing that she had closed them tightly a bit ago, to see what looked like old belongings, a kitchen knife, a piece of rope, a broken sake bottle, and a burnt match stick. "She did…she buried herself." She bit back tears and began to rummage through, finding that all the items in the grave were blood-stained. She rummaged through some more until she felt the familiar point of what felt like a grief seed. Guilt tearing at her like a bread knife against skin, she pulled out a worn out duffel bag and set it on the ground beside her. She took a deep, ragged breath again before she unzipped the bag, peering into the contents. Right before her eyes were about fifteen to twenty grief seeds sitting in the bag, reflecting the setting sun off their obsidian shell. "…She would bury them with herself, wouldn't she…" She muttered, zipping the duffel bag up again. The bag itself was also covered in blood stains. She sighed and got up, burying the items again. She reached over and lifted up the duffel bag, slinging it over her shoulder. The weight of the bag seemed heavier than it should have, but they now had plenty of grief seeds to use during Walpurgisnacht. "…I'm sorry, Kyouko." She took a final glance at the lone grave before she walked away from the graveyard and out of the ruins of Kyouko's life.

In the distance, Ayumi watched silently as the blue-haired girl made her way out of the remains. She'd pulled something out of one of the graves; what was it? Gold and emerald eyes lingered as the girl Miki Sayaka disappeared into the woods. The bag could have had something to do with the case. Whether it really did or not, this Miki Sayaka was definitely suspicious. Quietly and cautiously, the brunette slunk through the shadows, tailing after the stranger.

"You found it." Homura still appeared expressionless, but her eyes were wide with disbelief and what might have looked like hope. "…This will do quite nicely. Good work, Miki Sayaka." The raven-haired female made her way into the kitchen, bringing out a pot of food and walking to the table with it. "I always hear that carbs are necessary for satisfactory performance. Therefore, we are having spaghetti with meatballs. I even allowed the luxury of making garlic bread."

"Wow." Sayaka blinked, looking at the display. "Uh, thanks. You really didn't need to do that, y'know…" Homura glanced up at her with the same empty expression. "Nonsense. Nutrition is essential for a successful fight. Not even Puella Magi are exempt from this. In fact," she set up the table and motioned for Sayaka to sit down. "If anything, Puella Magi need the nutrition more, as they burn up plenty of calories when fighting witches. And we will be fighting a most powerful witch." She glanced at Sayaka as she helped herself to the chair. "In addition…you find that you are quite hungry when you use a significant amount of mental power, do you not?" She sat down at the table herself, grabbing a spoon and mixing the sauce into the spaghetti more. "Sakura Kyouko relied greatly on mental power. Therefore she ate twice as much as most magical girls. You may have noticed that this appetite transferred over to you, Miki Sayaka."

"Yeah…hey, how come Kyouko didn't use any of this power against me before? Instead, she'd just go right into the heat of battle and fight." Sayaka began to serve herself up some spaghetti, then clapped her hands together to say grace. "Ittadakimasu!" She twirled the spaghetti around the fork she was provided, but lingered a bit. "I mean, I never would have guessed that her powers were more based around the mind until you and Kyuubey told me otherwise. I thought she was a hands-on fighter, like me!"

"…I'm actually not quite sure why Sakura Kyouko never used her abilities. However, in another timeline I discovered that at one time, she was at least capable of it. Whatever reason she stopped using it, it is now at your disposal. Any emotional drawbacks she had, after all, would not have passed on to you." Homura proceeded to serve herself up some spaghetti. "Don't hesitate to take as much as you can. If you still feel hungry afterwards, let me know. I will be sure to sate the appetite Kyouko left you. She had it for a reason, after all. Do not try to tell me you can go without. I want you to be bloated by the end. You need that energy for tomorrow."

"Ah, thanks…but y'know, you need some, too." Sayaka pointed out. "And I'll be fine. I mean, I've always been pretty fit. And I'm actually not too hungry right now." Homura looked at her, then back at the pot, then down at her own plate. "Really? Strange...what a pity."

"Sakura Kyouko was always hungry because of the physical condition she was in when she made the contract." The white creature they all came to dread appeared out of the shadows. "She and her family were on the brink of starvation when I contracted her. Therefore, she was perpetually hungry."

"Wha…that's sick!" Sayaka stood up out of her chair. "I thought these bodies were supposed to be perfect or whatever!" Kyuubey shook his head. "They are. It is merely the phantom pains a magical girl feels from her old body. She was not truly always hungry; but she always felt that she desperately needed to eat something because her old body would constantly be telling her so."

"However, your body was physically in great shape when you contracted, Miki Sayaka. And this is still your body, even if the form itself was changed from your witch. Therefore, you do not have the same insatiable desire for food as she had. You will suffice with regular proportions." The creature sat down, looking up at the duo at the table.

"…I see." Homura made sure to make a mental note of that, should she have to repeat again. "In that case, we will eat what we can. Seeing as you do not need to be completely stuffed, I will not need to make more spaghetti." The two proceeded to carry on with the meal, all conversations over.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Potential

"We have plenty of grief seeds. We have proper nutrition in our systems." Homura pulled out her soul gem. "Your soul gem is clean, correct?" Sayaka pulled out the ruby soul gem, looking it over. "…Yeah. It's clean." Homura nodded. "In that case, what is left is to get proper sleep. Remember to find a proper vantage point for Walpurgisnacht. I will do what I can with my time magic, but seeing as I am the only one that can move in a time stop, I will be relying on you to cover for when I cannot keep the time stopped. Good luck. And be sure to get plenty of rest."

"Okay, got it." Sayaka nodded firmly, then gave a wave goodbye as she headed for the door. "…Thanks, Homura. I guess you're more than just a dumb transfer student, huh?" She opened the door and walked out, heading toward the direction of her house.

Following closely but silently behind her was Shiratori Ayumi. She hid in a nook and watched as she entered into her apartment, listening for any information.

"I'm home."

"Welcome back, Sayaka. Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yeah, it was great."

"Did you have any dinner?"

"Yeah, I already ate. I'll eat some leftovers tomorrow. Thanks."

Ayumi paused and thought for a bit. 'She has parents…somehow or another, this Miki Sayaka is a real person…but I can't help but feel that she knows something about Sakura's disappearance.'

'She does, in fact.'

Ayumi's two-toned eyes widened. 'Who's there!?' She glanced around frantically with wide eyes, trying her best to remain silent.

'I can sense you have quite a bit of potential, Shiratori Ayumi.'

Ayumi quickly whirled around to see what looked like a strange white cat with appendages. Her eyes were drawn to the strange gold rings floating precariously around the appendages. "…And you are?" She asked quietly, one eye glancing over at the apartment door. There was no sound. Perhaps Miki Sayaka had gone to bed.

"My name is Kyuubey." The creature responded, yet his lips made no movement. "I have a favor to ask of you, Shiratori Ayumi." The brunette frowned, inching back against the wall. "…And what would a mutant cat want from me?"

"I want you to make a contract with me, and become a magical girl!"

Ayumi stared blankly at the creature in front of her. Did it just make a strange proposition to her? "A…magical girl, you say?" She whispered in confusion. "As in, a heroine of justice who goes out every night to defeat the villains? That kind of magical girl?" The creature Kyuubey just stared up at her with those big, empty eyes. "You do in fact go out and fight dangerous creatures that could threaten humanity. If you contract and become a magical girl, I can grant you one wish! Any wish you desire!"

Ayumi's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And this Miki Sayaka…she is one of these 'magical girls' as well?" The creature Kyuubey bobbed his head yes. "And…what of Sakura Kyouko? Is she perhaps one as well?" If she had magic, it might have explained the sudden change in the townspeople. But in that case, the blame of the incident now shifted ever closer to her.

Kyuubey smiled. If she could call that a smile. "Indeed. As a magical girl, you will fight these beings of despair, known as Witches. Now, Shiratori Ayumi…would you be willing to submit yourself to a life of battle for a wish?" Ayumi frowned, looking at the creature suspiciously. "So, there are other magical girls. In that case, I would like to observe their actions against these creatures known as Witches, first. I would like to know just exactly what it is I would be getting myself into." She was not one to jump up at any opportunity, especially if it included something as heavy as a wish.

Kyuubey closed his eyes. "Very well, then. Tomorrow, a powerful Witch will be coming to Mitakihara. The girls of this area will be there to fight. If you are willing to risk your life to observe the battle, you are welcome to join them." Ayumi blinked. "A powerful Witch? How many magical girls would it take to defeat that?" Kyuubey looked up at her again. "It is not so much a matter of 'how many', so much as 'how powerful' a magical girl would need to be. There will be two magical girls fighting against this witch. If you would like, I can grant your wish now and you may lift them of some of their burdens tomorrow…"

"No. I refuse to contract until I know for sure what it is I would be getting myself involved with. I will wait until tomorrow. Then you will hear my wish." Ayumi nodded firmly, as if to strengthen her resolve. Kyuubey just turned away. "Very well, then. I will have you know however, Shiratori Ayumi. This is a very powerful witch. As of yet, no magical girl has survived a battle with it whenever it comes around. You may or may not receive your chance to contract if you do not do so now.

A bead of sweat trailed down Ayumi's cheek. Wait to see the rules, and risk having the chance to receive her wish? Or jump into a life of battle, not knowing what it was she was getting herself into? It was hard for Ayumi to weigh her options. If she died, she would not have the chance to unravel the truth behind the Sakura Tragedy. But was it worth a lifetime of battle? And did she really just want knowledge? In all honesty, she was intelligent enough to gather the pieces of the puzzle and discover the truth for herself. So what was it that she wanted, instead?

The sound of the window opening snapped her out of her senses and Ayumi quickly looked over to see a short-haired silhouette jumping toward a rooftop. Was that Miki Sayaka? And where was she going? Puzzled, the brunette opted to follow after.

Puzzlement ran through her still as she found herself in a rundown area of Mitakihara city. She quickly followed after, breathing heavily at the constant movement as the blue-haired female slipped into an old looking hotel. As Ayumi poked her head in the doorway, she could see that the place looked abandoned; it also looked like it was overdue for a demolition. Putting that to the side, she followed quietly after the blue-haired female, making sure not to attract any attention.

Actually, the blue-haired female must not have been very alert; it seemed as if she had her mind on something. She made her way down the hall until she came to a room. She opened the door and stepped inside, making her way across the rugged carpet. Behind her, Ayumi peered quietly and carefully into the room.

Sayaka looked over at the worn out bed. Her old body had completely disappeared now, leaving space for the redhead's body now. She smiled sadly before she reached down and gathered the limp form into her arms, carrying her over to the bed and laying her on top of the covers. It wasn't much. She really shouldn't have been concerning herself with Kyouko's corpse at this hour when they had a Walpurgisnacht to fight in the morning. "It's the least I could do…" She whispered, brushing her fingers across her cold cheek. "You idiot…why'd you have to go and do that…you should be the one going to fight Walpurgisnacht…"

Two-toned eyes widened at the sight. There was Sakura Kyouko, lying on a broken bed, in a broken room, looking just as broken and worse for wear, herself. She stepped into the room, closing the distance between her and the pair by the bed.

Sayaka finally sensed someone's presence, and she turned suspiciously to the source. "Who's there?!" As she looked, she could see what looked like the brunette from the ruins of the church. "Hey…you're that Shiratori Ayumi girl, aren't you?" She blinked, stepping away from the corpse.

"That body…" Ayumi eyed what was left of Sakura Kyouko. "Did you bring it here? How did you come across it?" Sayaka's eyes quickly shifted to the side as she replied, as if dodging her gaze. "Uh…well, y'know…I just kinda found her body on the side, and I thought she looked kinda cold and all, and, well, uhh…"

"I saw you jumping out of your apartment window." Ayumi accused. "You went out of your way to go find her. I hadn't realized that you'd known the eldest Sakura daughter. How did she die?" She stepped closer to Sayaka, closing the gap between them, as well as room for escape. "Could she have also been involved in this magical girl business?"

"I, err, uhh…" Sayaka's eyes widened. "Wait…you've heard about it?!" It was at this that her fists clenched tightly. "…What all do you know about magical girls?" Ayumi calmly sighed. "I heard from Kyuubey that you devote your life to fighting beings of despair known as witches, and in return, you get a single wish granted. That is what you are, are you not?"

"Yeah…we're fighting, all right. We're fighting for a lost cause. Witches are never going to go away, because magical girls are always around. We sell our soul to keep up this cycle of hope and despair, never ending, always suffering…for the sake of one petty wish." The blue-haired female tightened her fists as they trembled. "You shouldn't contract. If you do, there are only two ways to die!" She looked Ayumi in the eyes. "You either destroy your Soul Gem," she stated as she pulled her ruby soul gem out of her pocket, "Or you become the witches you've been fighting. You can't trust Kyuubey." Cerulean eyes bubbled with anger.

"I was under the impression it would be a grave price." Ayumi stated simply, stepping past Sayaka and sitting by Kyouko's corpse. "After all, a wish is nothing short of impossible. To have even one granted, one should expect such a heavy price." She placed a hand on the corpse's forehead. "…Is that how she ended up this way? Did her Soul Gem break?"

"Urgh…not exactly." Sayaka eyed the floor. "She is dead, though. And that's why it's dangerous to become a Magical Girl!" She stared Ayumi in the eye. "Please believe me. You don't want to ruin your life with this job!"

"Ruin my life?" Ayumi parroted, before she burst into laughter. "Ruin my life, you say? Because of the magic brought forth by these magical girls, my life is already ruined! The only reason I'm going to Mitakihara is because my sole remaining relative, my grandmother, thought I should escape from the Sakura Curse. Even now, she is showing signs of depression, which soon leads to suicide. My father hung himself not too long after the Sakura residence was destroyed, and my mother drowned herself soon after that. Aside from those three, I have no living relatives. I should say that my life has already been ruined. It can't get much worse. And if it does? Well, I'd say I paid the price quite well, wouldn't you say?"

Sayaka stared dumbfounded at the brunette. "…So, you're going to contract, anyway? Even though I told you what happens?!" Ayumi gave a light shrug. "If it happens, it happens. But not tonight. I want to observe the battle between a magical girl and a witch. I hear there is quite a powerful witch coming tomorrow. If I can observe the worst-case possibility, I should be more than capable of handling any weaker witches." She closed her eyes, finishing the thought. Sayaka stared at the brunette, disbelieving. "So, you're okay with becoming a monster…?" She shook her head and looked at Kyouko. "You might regret it, you know. Contracting."

"How could I? I made the choice. It is mine to bear. I could never regret that, no matter the consequences." Ayumi replied, stroking the corpse's cheek. "On the other hand, what will you do with this body? Will you leave it in this run-down hotel to rot? Or shall we give her a proper burial?" Sayaka looked away. "…After Walpurgisnacht. We'll give her a proper burial after Walpurgisnacht. Before that, let's let her rest in peace." Ayumi scoffed. "Do you honestly think she will be able to rest in peace in the suburbs like this? Corpses would be treated like garbage. Just like parts in a junkyard, she'll be used as spare parts for whatever backstreet societies need organs. Or, they will find a way to preserve her, and treat her as a doll. You do not leave a young girl's corpse in a run-down place such as this. And if nothing else, there was a sign outside saying that this place would soon be demolished. Why don't I take her out of here? As far as people can tell, she looks like she is only sleeping." She stood up and reached over to lift the corpse into her arms.

"Wha…" Sayaka looked away. "…Well, if it really would be dangerous to leave her in the suburbs like this…alright, let's get her out of here." She caught a glimpse of the sky outside. "Ugah! It's that dark right now! I gotta get back home before my parents think I'm being too quiet! Thanks, Ayumi! I'll see you tomorrow!" She dashed out of the room, heading back towards her apartment.

Ayumi looked at the body she held in her arms and sighed. "…Really, what a waste. If only there was some way to bring her back…hmm…" With that thought in mind, she too made her way out of the hotel.


End file.
